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LOW WATER-USE PLANTS

Before Selecting Plants, Understand the Climate
The Big Bear Valley is located at an elevation of 7,000 feet in a higher and drier portion of the San Bernardino Mountains than the other mountain communities. Elevations of the ridges surrounding the Valley range from 8,500 feet on the north side of the Valley to almost 10,000 feet on the south side. South-facing slopes tend to be relatively hot and dry, while north-facing slopes are cooler and relatively moist.

Southern California exists in a Mediterranean climate, which provides cool, moist winters and warm, dry summers, which vary greatly from year to year. Average annual rainfall in Big Bear Valley ranges from almost 40 inches near the dam to as little as 10 inches east of Baldwin Lake. Temperature extremes have ranged from –25º F to 94º F. Average temperatures in January (the coldest month) range from 21ºF for a low to 47ºF, and a high of 80ºF.

Selecting Low Water-Use Plants

When you are selecting plants for your mountainscape, make sure you keep the above-mentioned climate and weather in mind. Some plants are more than able to handle our winter cold, but are not able to cope with our wet winters. For general planning purposes, the Big Bear Valley climate corresponds to a USDA climate zone of 7a (average annual minimum temperature between 0 -5º F) or the Sunset Magazine climate zone of 3.

You need to decide whether to plant native species, non-native species or a combination of both. There are many beautiful plants that grow naturally in the San Bernardino Mountains. Some notable examples are rose sage, sulfur buckwheat, and California fuchsia. We have extensive xeriscape and native plant lists available at the DWP offices in addition to those provided on this web site.